Slopes go down lessons go up
by SomecallmeMichelle
Summary: Steven Stone had a little accident while studying some rocks with his best friend. Wallace insists it wasn't his fault, but then who is more stubborn?


"You don't have to lie to me!" - Steven's mouth was a thin line as he considered the words the other man had uttered. Such an attempt at letting him, Steven Stone deflect blame was natural. Nothing more common between friends, right? Friends were there for one another no matter what kind of stuff happened. That was how it was…

Or at least that was what all the books on friendship Steven had read said. That his friendships were few, and those he dared call friends were far in between didn't help matters much. But Steven, though he could count the number of such people in his own pair of hands still thought that that didn't invalidate things. He understood the urge to comfort a friend, to seek to give comfort, yet nothing much changed. He was to blame for what had happened, well wishes didn't change it.

Still his friend insisted on passing on the blame, though to whom it seemed not to matter. A fact that made Steven's bright blue eyes harden. It wasn't as widely apparent as it'd be if they were a deep gray, gray to match the type of Pokemon he specialized in, yet the blue hardening, his eyes gaining the coldness of ice could still send shivers down someone's spine were they to look directly at them.

His friend gulped and Steven kept his composure, for those few who knew him well enough it would apparent that he was not amused. But to those who didn't, except perhaps for a small wrinkle in the corner of his lips it would be a hard notice. Steven had long since trained himself to keep his negative emotions in tow. Those who caught him on a Geology tirade could count on hearing his excitement, yet being raised for, and with, business in mind, he needed to contain anything that could damper relationships with potential partners.

Not that this was what that was about. Business was the farthest possible thing from Steven's mind at that moment. No, this was all about his mistake. A mistake that some, him included, would consider ghastly. After all it would seem that the greater the rise, the greater the fall. Was not a basic principle of science? And it had a certain poetic flair to it too...Even if in its origins was a mere statement of fact.

"I am not lying…" - The other man, Wallace, practically collapsed on the spot at such an accusation. Leave it to him to cause a scene, but then, Steven knew very well that Wallace had a certain flare for drama. Like moth to flame, the theatrics attracted him. Which was certainly an ironic comparison, given who Wallace was. Steven struggled to keep cross, but he couldn't deny it. The thought had been an entertaining one. It was a battle he, in all probability had no chance of winning. The thinning of the lips gradually descended into an acute smile. Angular like many of his Pokemon's sharp edges.

The ice cold stare he had reserved to the wall in front of him, as if that rocky outline had personally offended him gradually melted into a gaze that bore no particular emotion. Steven may not have thought it, but the change was perceptible to Wallace who was quick to comment on it. Attributing the change, no doubt to his words having entered Steven's skull and mind. He smiled and, continuing on that assumption, he added:

"See? I told you as much!" - Wallace pushed a fan out of somewhere, Steven who was staring at the other man didn't catch exactly from _where_. He started cooling himself to the best of his abilities, at a pace that would make others jealous. "Boy, is it always this hot?"

Steven's smile didn't falter as he rubbed both his hands together, cleaning them up from dust, ash and small rocky debrees. He couldn't help himself, even as he found Wallace's insistence on the issue tiresome. He thought it best to dispel any misconceptions Wallace might have.

"On a volcano? Always...and you do know I still think it was my fault that such a thing happened, I mean…"

Wallace, who by this time was sweating in a copious amount, despite the intensity of his waving, didn't think much of Steven's doubts, as he was quick to reassure him

"You couldn't have known that the rock would…"

Steven didn't let Wallace finish his blatant forgiveness of his mistakes, as he stopped Wallace's reasoning.

"Fall? Disintegrate under our feet?" - He said, refering to the incident that they had been discussing in a roundabout manner for the past couple minutes…

Wallace nodded, noticing the way Steven moved around on the muddy ditch they had fallen into. Luckily their fall had been a short one and they hadn't suffered any injuries. In fact, other than a stained outfit with ash and mud, their drop wouldn't even be noticeable.

"That's just the thing, I'm a rocks and stones afficionado! I should have noted the signs of floor damage"

So that was what this was all about? Pride? Wallace couldn't help but giggle. Letting his fan fall to the ground he gently placed his arms around Steven. Steven didn't wear his usual jacket, but he was still hot to the touch, something Wallace did his best to ugnore.

Steven paused his wandering in the small space as he felt the contact. He was in such a position that his head sized up to Wallace's shoulder. It was oddly comfortable.

"Steven…", - Wallace tutted, though Steven was the champion, he sometimes forgot the basic. It was an after effect of being such a great trainer, too much information to hold.

As such, telling him what he had most likely forgotten would not come as condescending. It would only come as a reminder…

"Nobody knows everything Steven.." - Wallace pushed his hand against Steven's cheek. - "We still don't know everything about the bottom of the sea, or about all the kinds of earth...that's why we study, right?"

Steven smiled, understanding the point Wallace was trying to make.

"Guess you're right..I'm sorry" - Steven brushed dust from his clothes, removing himself from Wallace's shoulder. - "Now shall we get out of here?"

Steven looked at the slope they had fallen from. Though he didn't have many friends Wallace was amongst the best in that group.

 **Author's note: First of all this piece was all written on mobile. On a touchpad. That was tiring, with that said this story is dedicated to Wolflyn, who inspired me with their version of Steven Stone. Thanks buddy!**


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